Epilogue – Week of September 8th

I was five pages into my eBay search; there was nothing. There wasn’t anything interesting to talk about and there wasn’t anything bad enough to be an AOTW contestant. I was getting ready to shit on eBay again, but I didn’t want to write that for the 38th time. (Go ahead count it.)

Seeing this guy’s listings was like seeing an oasis. I felt hope and happiness.

Jesus. Isn’t that an overreaction for a bunch of 20 figure lots?!?!

It might be. It probably is an overreaction, but I still felt those things. M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting should only illicit hope and happiness. It is a tiny niche.

Sure it was a top selling toy of 1986, but it’s end was already coming as it received that accolade. M.U.S.C.L.E. was flash paper. If you weren’t there to experience it at that precise moment, then you don’t care.

Hope and happiness seem to, inevitably, attract vultures. Some people don’t care when they initially show up, “They’re way up there. They aren’t bothering me – don’t worry about it.”

That doesn’t last. More and more scavengers are attracted. Eventually the hope and happiness is picked clean from the M.U.S.C.L.E. carcass.

Ok, the analogy is getting a little heavy handed – I can own that; just stick with me.

Once the carcass is picked clean the scavengers and maggots have no reason to stick around. There’s nothing left for them. Maybe we’re entering a period of rebirth? Maybe the M.U.S.C.L.E. hobby is at a state of rebirth? Maybe?

I might be putting too much on the shoulders of 17 M.U.S.C.L.E. listings starting at $0.99. Maybe. Today I’ll let that hope and happiness allow me to imagine something better.

Above are our two previous AOTW winners. Let’s get right to this week’s AOTW Fatal Four-Way battle.

The AOTW #1 was an easy choice. She has two open cans and 17 Flesh figures. It has an unthinkable $85 BIN – plus shipping. At absolute top-dollar that lot is worth $27. More reasonably it is closer to $18 for the lot. She priced it at $85 for the lot. Wow.

The AOTW #2 might surprise some people since the opening bid was $0.99. First, I hate most single figure listings. But I picked this one because, “Gan Satan!! Blue Rare! Mattel!!! Vintage Figure!!!” How many exclamation points does one auction title need? It’s like he’s screaming the rarity of this figure. Of course, the figure is Class C.

The AOTW #3 is an ugly painted lot. The seller seems to somewhat know this because the auction title states, “Job lot.” That doesn’t seem to influence the terrible $12 opening bid (plus almost $10 shipping). For me, the most angering part is the auction description stating, “In Good Vintage Condition – Some Wear.”

The AOTW #4 might be the first Kinkeshi Premium figure. It was selected for it’s $52 BIN for half of a figure. This is a two-piece combination figure from Gashapon #1. You could buy the entire set, all sculpts and colors, for $102. And that was just the first listing I saw.

Cast your vote and crown the next AOTW Fatal-Four Way winner. Here are the four combatants:

There was sadness when our ULTIMATE AOTW Battle of the Champions Fatal-Four Way Winner #1 was no longer selling her empty box.

We thought this was the fine image of our old friend.

It was painful to consider our journey was over. We watched as she started at $250. Unable to sell it, dropped down to $160. The drops continued: $149, $145, $139, $135, $125 and finally $120…for a beat-up, empty box.

When she did stop, we knew there was a zero-percent chance it actually sold. It is an empty box. M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors see crazy things, but this sale was simply impossible. Plus, there is no feedback posted by either party.

We now have irrefutable evidence the box did not sell. It has been relisted with a $150 BIN.

Oh dear lord. Some other dope has “bought” the box and there is feedback from the buyer this time. Interesting that the seller didn’t leave feedback.

I think there is zero percent chance this belt has actually sold. It will be relisted. Pay attention sellers, this winner perfectly demonstrate the level-of-asshole it takes to be an ULTIMATE champion. She truly is the ULTIMATE AOTW Battle of the Champions Fatal-Four Way Winner #1.

Our inaugural champion has a very worthy companion.

The initial listing for the $3 figure was for $1500. The entire story was covered in AW #284. Apparently, there’s still a little more to add. The figure is STILL for sale with a $100 BIN.

This seller probably could be a repeat winner with their other listings.

An original SHA, with the head spur still attached, in the original Flesh color was sold for about $185. This seller is attempting to sell a yellow, headless version for $1,000. That is the level of commitment needed to become the 2nd ULTIMATE AOTW Battle of the Champions Winner.

Sadly, it looks like our second champion has paused their grifting efforts. I do not see the figure for sale, nor do I see any feedback.

This entry was posted on September 13, 2019, 2:12 pm and is filed under UofM News. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.
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